


A World of Fragile Things

by Niori



Series: Beautiful Verse [8]
Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Family Drama, Feels, Loki Feels, Loki Needs a Hug, M/M, Protective Thor, Racism, Thor Feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-15
Updated: 2014-11-12
Packaged: 2018-02-04 18:31:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1788973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niori/pseuds/Niori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a shapeshifter and a cat, Thor believes nothing can surprise him when it comes to the shape his children take. He was wrong, and for once it's Loki who looks at his children and questions whether they are monsters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> AN- Hello everyone! Welcome back to the new (angst fest) entry into the Beautiful Verse! I'm not actually too fond of this opening chapter, but I've had it written for awhile and can't make it work to my specifications anyway, so I'd thought I'd just go ahead and post it already. I apologize if it's a bit too rushed. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter One

 

"GIVE IT BACK!"

"NO!"

"FATHER!"

"FATHER!"

Loki sighed and rubbed his face. His sons' screams continued from the other room, and Thor was the next one to sigh. He glanced over at Loki, took one look at his face, and spoke, "I will take care of this."

Loki waved him off gratefully. All he wanted was a nice, calm breakfast before he had to spend another day teaching Vali to control his magic. Loki loved his son, and was proud of how he had improved over a few short months, but he was as stubborn as his other father and just as impatient. For all his innate talent and strength, Vali didn't yet have the disposition to learn anything more than basic magic, though he didn't have a choice. Loki was exhausted, close to snapping and nearly nine months pregnant. Vali's magic couldn't have chosen a worse time to spike. 

"My sons!" Thor's voice boomed, and the boys' bickering stopped, "Why is it you disturb breakfast with this fight?"

After a moment of silence, the boys started again, one trying to be heard over the other. Loki assumed that he would have to help deal with it eventually. For now, he was going to ignore it as long as he possibly could. 

He was doing just that when the pain shot through his abdomen. Very slowly, Loki put down his fork and got to his feet. He had been through this too many times to feel any sort of panic (especially since Thor had proved himself with Vali and Magni). Granted, that it was twins this time was a tad nerve wracking, but certainly not enough to panic over. 

He walked into the next room, mentally counting the seconds until his next pain. The boys were still arguing, and Thor was attempting to mediate. They didn't even notice him enter the room.

"-Stole it!"

"-Borrowed it!"

"-Boys-"

"It seems I'm in labour," Loki said calmly, lightly. He didn't raise his voice, but they all heard him anyway.

The voices died as the three of them whirled to face Loki, eyes wide. A moment later, it was proved that it was still possible for his sons and husband to panic. 

l.l.l.l.l.l

For all that there were two of them, the labour was shorter and easier than all his others, save Hela. Thor was better this time as well, not looking like he was about to pass out while sitting at Loki's side and holding his hand. Thor kept murmuring comforting words that Loki didn't actually need but appreciated nonetheless.

For the first time in a long time, Loki felt no fear. He felt no worry, felt no dread and didn't pray that, this time, his child would just be normal. He didn't silently hope that there would be nothing strange or different. For the first time, Loki knew it wouldn't matter. No matter how they felt, the people of Asgard would follow their king. The king loved his children, no matter what form their took. No matter what these children -a boy and girl, Loki knew that- were, Thor would love them no less.

For the first time, Loki knew everything would be alright. 

The first child came, and Loki was surprised to hear the wails of an infant. That meant nothing, of course, but it surprised him. The second came minutes later, and her cries joined those of her brother. Only once the children were born did Thor leave Loki's side, and only to go to them. Loki heard Thor's sharp intake of breath, and he opened his eyes again.

Thor held one child - looking down with a soft expression of awe- and the midwife - face as blank as it always was at the birth of his children- held the other, and when Loki first beheld his twins, he was confused. At first be believed it to be the lighting, why the children seemed to be such a strange colour. It wasn't until he saw the lines -covered in fluids, but the whorls and curves visible all the same- that Loki realized he was seeing.

Thor said something to him, but Loki couldn't hear him over the blood roaring in his ears. His stomach lurched painfully, and he felt bile rising in his throat.

All he could see was two wailing children, blue and marked. All he could see were two squirming Jotun infants. All he could see were monsters.


	2. Chapter Two

Thor didn't notice that Loki didn't hold their newborn children. He didn't notice that, when it came time to feed them, Loki produced two bottles of goat's milk out of thin air instead of bring them to his chest. Thor didn't notice that Loki flinched every time the children came into his view. A confused midwife did, but it was not her place to say anything. Thor was too enraptured with his new children.

He couldn't stop touching them. First he held them, one at a time. He rocked them in his arms until they fell asleep, no matter how long it took. Then he couldn't help but run his fingers along the tiny raised marks along their blue skin. He had always wondered if the lines were ones that the Jotun were born with or ones they carved into the skin of their infants (he was ashamed to know that, for a very long time, he had arrogantly and self righteously assumed the later). He knew the answer now, as he followed the intricate lines across his daughter's face, set across blue skin that was a shade lighter than any he had seen on a Frost Giant. 

He didn't even hesitate in his love, never paused and saw them as anything less than his beautiful children. His hate for the Jotun had long since passed, had been let go the moment he learned the truth about Loki. How could he hate them, when that was what the person he loved most, truly was? If there had been any hate left over, it would have been swept away the moment the twins were born. 

Thor's first two children had been a shapeshifter and a cat. When it came to the shape his children took, nothing could surprise him anymore.

"What shall we name them?" Thor asked quietly, so not to wake the sleeping babies. When Loki gave no answer, Thor looked back to their bed, where Loki sat. His husband was looking out the window, a blank look on his face and mind far away, "Loki?" 

At the sound of his name, Loki looked at him, "What Thor?"

"What shall we name them?" Thor repeated, frowning. He didn't understand Loki's listlessness. It was not exhaustion, for Thor knew what an exhausted Loki was like. It was like Loki just...wasn't there. 

"You can choose," Loki said simply, "from the names we talked about before."

There was no emotion in his voice. Thor felt something unpleasant curl in his stomach. He opened his mouth to say something, but a knock on the door stopped him. A moment it, it opened cautiously and Vali poked his head in.

"Father? Can we seem them yet?" The impatience was clear in his voice.

Thor thought his sons had been waiting long enough to meet their brother and sister, "Only if you're quiet." 

Vali nodded excitedly and the door opened fully. His eldest son hurried into the room, quickly followed by his younger brother and nephew as well. They all came to the identical cradles and looked into them, or tried to, in Magni's case. The cat huffed in frustration, before leaping onto a nearby dresser and looking from there.

"They're blue," Grani noted, head cocked to the side, "why are they blue?"

Thor ran a hand down the horse's mane, "They take after your grandfather and his true heritage." 

"Oh, they're Frost Giants!" Magni, who had never seen a Frost Giant before, exclaimed.

"Quietly," Thor reminded him.

"Does this mean they'll be shapeshifters, if they take after Father? Or have magic?" Vali's voice betrayed how much he disliked that idea. 

Thor wasn't surprised Vali asked that question, "Perhaps, but it is too soon to tell. It won't matter either way."

Magni rolled his eyes, "Don't worry Vali. You'll still be Father's favourite."

Thor waited for Loki to chime in, to exclaim he had no favourites. It was an argument he had to settle more than once, much to his exasperation. Yet this time, Loki said nothing. Thor's frown deepened. 

Since Loki didn't protest, Thor did, "Enough Magni. You know your father and I have no favourites. It doesn't matter either way, if they have magic or not."

"What are their names Grandfather?" Grani asked, always the one to change the topic if it was uncomfortable. 

"We haven't decided yet," an idea came to Thor, "you heard the names we talked about. What do you think?"

"Modi!" Magni blurted out immediately.

"You just like it because it matches yours," Vali almost sneered.

Thor felt his patience run out, "Enough boys."

"What about Thrud?" Grani ventured, "I like it. It's very pretty."

"What do you think Vali?" He asked, hoping Vali wouldn't argue just for argument's sake. 

"Fine. But I get to name the next one."

"Next one?" Thor asked in amusement.

Vali just raised an eyebrow, "As though you and Father will ever stop procreating."

Thor laughed and ruffled his son's hair. Vali scowled at the gesture. Despite the opportunity for a comment, Loki was silent. 

"Very well Vali. We will follow your word if there is a next time," for now, Thor turned to the son in the closest cradle, "You, my son, shall be Modi," he turned his attention to the other cradle, "and you daughter, will be Thrud."

These children would be great, just like the others. He did not know which path their destiny would take -would they be warriors like Fenrir, Sleipnir or Magni? A ruler like Jorgamund or Hela? Or even a strong sorcerer like Vali?-, but it would be a mighty one. They would change the realms, of that Thor was sure.

"Thrud and Modi," Thor repeated, laughing again out of sheer joy, "They are most excellent names! What do you think Loki?"

They all turned, eager to hear what Loki thought. He didn't know if he would give them a pleased compliment or sardonic comment about not even being consulted about the names of his own children. Instead, all they got was a sigh, "It's fine."

They all gave each other confused looks, "Father," Vali asked in concern, "are you alright?" 

"I'm tired," was the reply.

"I..." What could Thor say to that, especially in front of the children, "very well. Sleep well Loki."

As he ushered the children out of the room, Thor finally noticed that something was very wrong.


End file.
